Sex-dependent additive effects of dorzagliatin and incretin on insulin secretion in a novel mouse model of -MODY.

Glucokinase (GK) catalyses the key regulatory step in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Correspondingly, hetero- and homozygous mutations in human cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young (GCK-MODY) and permanent neonatal diabetes (PNDM), respectively. To explore the possible utility of glucokinase activators (GKA) and of glucagon-like receptor-1 (GLP-1) agonists in these diseases, we have developed a novel hypomorphic allele in mice encoding an aberrantly spliced mRNA deleted for exons 2 and 3.

Optogenetic β cell interrogation in vivo reveals a functional hierarchy directing the Ca response to glucose supported by vitamin B6.

Coordination of cellular activity through Ca enables β cells to secrete precise quantities of insulin. To explore how the Ca response is orchestrated in space and time, we implement optogenetic systems to probe the role of individual β cells in the glucose response. By targeted β cell activation/inactivation in zebrafish, we reveal a hierarchy of cells, each with a different level of influence over islet-wide Ca dynamics.

Molecular phenotyping of single pancreatic islet leader beta cells by "Flash-Seq".

Aims: Spatially-organized increases in cytosolic Ca within pancreatic beta cells in the pancreatic islet underlie the stimulation of insulin secretion by high glucose. Recent data have revealed the existence of subpopulations of beta cells including "leaders" which initiate Ca waves. Whether leader cells possess unique molecular features, or localisation, is unknown.

Simultaneous Calcium Imaging and Glucose Stimulation in Living Zebrafish to Investigate In Vivo β-Cell Function.

The pancreatic β-cells sustain systemic glucose homeostasis by producing and secreting insulin according to the blood glucose levels. Defects in β-cell function are associated with hyperglycemia that can lead to diabetes. During the process of insulin secretion, β-cells experience an influx of Ca.

c-Abl Tyrosine Kinase Is Regulated Downstream of the Cytoskeletal Protein Synemin in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Radioresistance and DNA Repair.

The intermediate filament synemin has been previously identified as novel regulator of cancer cell therapy resistance and DNA double strand break (DSB) repair. c-Abl tyrosine kinase is involved in both of these processes. Using PamGene technology, we performed a broad-spectrum kinase activity profiling in three-dimensionally, extracellular matrix grown head and neck cancer cell cultures.

Modelling pancreatic β-cell inflammation in zebrafish identifies the natural product wedelolactone for human islet protection.

Islet inflammation and cytokine production are implicated in pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and diabetes pathogenesis. However, we lack therapeutics to protect the insulin-producing β-cells from inflammatory damage. Closing this clinical gap requires the establishment of new disease models of islet inflammation to facilitate screening efforts aimed at identifying new protective agents.

Isolation and characterization of adrenocortical progenitors involved in the adaptation to stress.

The adrenal gland is a master regulator of the human body during response to stress. This organ shows constant replacement of senescent cells by newly differentiated cells. A high degree of plasticity is critical to sustain homeostasis under different physiological demands.

GSTM3 and GSTP1: novel players driving tumor progression in cervical cancer.

Unlabelled: The molecular processes and proteomic markers leading to tumor progression (TP) in cervical cancer (CC) are either unknown or only partially understood. TP affects metabolic and regulatory mechanisms that can be identified as proteomic changes. To identify which proteins are differentially expressed and to understand the mechanisms of cancer progression, we analyzed the dynamics of the tumor proteome in CC cell lines.

Adrenal cortical and chromaffin stem cells: Is there a common progeny related to stress adaptation?

The adrenal gland is a highly plastic organ with the capacity to adapt the body homeostasis to different physiological needs. The existence of stem-like cells in the adrenal cortex has been revealed in many studies. Recently, we identified and characterized in mice a pool of glia-like multipotent Nestin-expressing progenitor cells, which contributes to the plasticity of the adrenal medulla.